Paul Rush writes: I have come to the Wairarapa to see the remarkable Stonehenge-Aotearoa, a practical open-sky observatory built on a similar scale to the famous Stonehenge in England.
It is not a replica of the ancient monument but a modern interpretation that incorporates ancient Egyptian, Celtic, Aztec and Polynesian astronomy, including Maori star lore based on Matariki.
Looking up at a cloudless Wairarapa sky just before dawn, I'm delighted to see that it is peppered with needle- sharp stars. One cluster stands out just above the northeast horizon. It is Matariki (the Pleiades), in the constellation of Taurus. I can make out seven bright stars, the "seven sisters" - named for the daughters of Atlas and Pleione in Greek mythology - an eye-watering 400 light years away.
Maori tohunga understood that the nga whetu (eternal shining ones) followed a seasonal cycle like the Earth itself. They knew that the rising and setting of the stars marked the progression of seasons, and certain stars, such as Matariki, signalled seasonal foods.
Tohunga looked for the rising of Matariki just before sunrise somewhere between late May and mid-June. This marked the beginning of the Maori New Year (Te Tau Hou), a time of light, life, wellbeing and good harvests. The New Year celebration is enjoying a revival, and from June 21 to July 21, hundreds of Matariki Festival activities are being held to celebrate the rich blessings we enjoy in our land.
Stonehenge-Aotearoa was built in prefabricated carbon- fibre concrete by 150 volunteers under the auspices of the Phoenix Astronomical Society. I meet project manager Richard Hall, an energetic man with the serious mien of a scientist.
Read more at
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/7238120/A-look-at-New-Zealands-Stonehenge
With thanks to Angie Lake for the link
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